1
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Sasaki D, Arai T, Yang Y, Kuramochi M, Furuyama W, Nanbo A, Sekiguchi H, Morone N, Mio K, Sasaki YC. Micro-second time-resolved X-ray single-molecule internal motions of SARS-CoV-2 spike variants. Biochem Biophys Rep 2024; 38:101712. [PMID: 38903159 PMCID: PMC11187434 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2024.101712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Single-molecule intramolecular dynamics were successfully measured for three variants of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, alpha: B.1.1.7, delta: B.1.617, and omicron: B.1.1.529, with a time resolution of 100 μs using X-rays. The results were then compared with respect to the magnitude and directions of motions for the three variants. The largest 3-D intramolecular movement was observed for the omicron variant irrespective of ACE2 receptor binding. A more detailed analysis of the intramolecular motions revealed that the distribution state of intramolecular motion for the three variants was completely different with and without ACE2 receptor binding. The molecular dynamics for the trimeric spike protein of the omicron variant increased when ACE2 binding occurred. At that time, the diffusion constant increased from 71.0 [mrad2/ms] to 91.1 [mrad2/ms].
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Sasaki
- Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8561, Japan
- AIST-UTokyo Advanced Operando-Measurement Technology Open Innovation Laboratory (OPERANDO-OIL), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-0882, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Arai
- Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8561, Japan
- AIST-UTokyo Advanced Operando-Measurement Technology Open Innovation Laboratory (OPERANDO-OIL), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-0882, Japan
| | - Yue Yang
- Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8561, Japan
- AIST-UTokyo Advanced Operando-Measurement Technology Open Innovation Laboratory (OPERANDO-OIL), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-0882, Japan
| | - Masahiro Kuramochi
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Ibaraki University, 4-12-1 Naka-narusawa, Hitachi, Ibaraki, 316-8511, Japan
| | - Wakako Furuyama
- National Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan
| | - Asuka Nanbo
- National Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Sekiguchi
- Center for Synchrotron Radiation Research, Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo, Hyogo, 679-5198, Japan
| | - Nobuhiro Morone
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Gleeson Building, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QR, UK
| | - Kazuhiro Mio
- AIST-UTokyo Advanced Operando-Measurement Technology Open Innovation Laboratory (OPERANDO-OIL), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-0882, Japan
| | - Yuji C. Sasaki
- Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8561, Japan
- AIST-UTokyo Advanced Operando-Measurement Technology Open Innovation Laboratory (OPERANDO-OIL), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-0882, Japan
- Center for Synchrotron Radiation Research, Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo, Hyogo, 679-5198, Japan
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2
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Ju SP, Yang YC, Chen HY. Unraveling the binding mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 variants through molecular simulations. Heliyon 2024; 10:e27193. [PMID: 38495173 PMCID: PMC10940921 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants like Delta (AY.29) and Omicron (EG.5) poses continued challenges for vaccines and therapeutics. Mutations in the viral spike protein are key in altering infectivity and immune evasion. This study uses computational modeling to investigate the molecular binding mechanisms between spike protein variants and the ACE2 host receptor. Using the MARTNI force field, coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CGMD) simulations and nudged elastic band (NEB) calculations explore spike-ACE2 interactions for the wild type, Delta variant, and Omicron variant. The simulations reveal Omicron has the strongest binding affinity at -128.35 ± 10.91 kcal/mol, followed by Delta and wild type. Key mutations in Delta and Omicron, like Q493R and Q498R, optimize electrostatic contacts, enhancing ACE2 interactions. The wild-type spike has the highest transition state energy barrier at 17.87 kcal/mol, while Delta has the lowest barrier at 9.21 kcal/mol. Despite slightly higher dual barriers, Omicron's increased binding energy lowers its overall barrier to rapidly bind ACE2. These findings provide residue-level insights into mutation effects on SARS-CoV-2 infectivity. The computational modeling elucidates mechanisms underlying spike-ACE2 binding kinetics, aiding the development of vaccines and therapies targeting emerging viral strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shin-Pon Ju
- Department of Mechanical and Electro-Mechanical Engineering, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan
- Department of Medicinal and Applied Chemistry, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Cheng Yang
- Department of Mechanical and Electro-Mechanical Engineering, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan
| | - Hsing-Yin Chen
- Department of Medicinal and Applied Chemistry, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
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3
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Maity S, Acharya A. Many Roles of Carbohydrates: A Computational Spotlight on the Coronavirus S Protein Binding. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2024; 7:646-656. [PMID: 36947738 PMCID: PMC10880061 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.2c01064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Glycosylation is one of the post-translational modifications with more than 50% of human proteins being glycosylated. The exact nature and chemical composition of glycans are inaccessible to X-ray or cryo-electron microscopy imaging techniques. Therefore, computational modeling studies and molecular dynamics must be used as a "computational microscope". The spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 is heavily glycosylated, and a few glycans play a more functional role "beyond shielding". In this mini-review, we discuss computational investigations of the roles of specific S-protein and ACE2 glycans in the overall ACE2-S protein binding. We highlight different functions of specific glycans demonstrated in myriad computational models and simulations in the context of the SARS-CoV-2 virus binding to the receptor. We also discuss interactions between glycocalyx and the S protein, which may be utilized to design prophylactic polysaccharide-based therapeutics targeting the S protein. In addition, we underline the recent emergence of coronavirus variants and their impact on the S protein and its glycans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suman Maity
- Department
of Chemistry, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
| | - Atanu Acharya
- Department
of Chemistry, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
- BioInspired
Syracuse, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
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4
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Lan PD, Nissley DA, O’Brien EP, Nguyen TT, Li MS. Deciphering the free energy landscapes of SARS-CoV-2 wild type and Omicron variant interacting with human ACE2. J Chem Phys 2024; 160:055101. [PMID: 38310477 PMCID: PMC11223169 DOI: 10.1063/5.0188053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The binding of the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to the host cell receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the first step in human viral infection. Therefore, understanding the mechanism of interaction between RBD and ACE2 at the molecular level is critical for the prevention of COVID-19, as more variants of concern, such as Omicron, appear. Recently, atomic force microscopy has been applied to characterize the free energy landscape of the RBD-ACE2 complex, including estimation of the distance between the transition state and the bound state, xu. Here, using a coarse-grained model and replica-exchange umbrella sampling, we studied the free energy landscape of both the wild type and Omicron subvariants BA.1 and XBB.1.5 interacting with ACE2. In agreement with experiment, we find that the wild type and Omicron subvariants have similar xu values, but Omicron binds ACE2 more strongly than the wild type, having a lower dissociation constant KD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel A. Nissley
- Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Oxford Protein Bioinformatics Group, Oxford OX1 2JD, United Kingdom
| | | | - Toan T. Nguyen
- Key Laboratory for Multiscale Simulation of Complex Systems and Department of Theoretical Physics, Faculty of Physics, University of Science, Vietnam National University - Hanoi, 334 Nguyen Trai Street, Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi 11400, Vietnam
| | - Mai Suan Li
- Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, al. Lotnikow 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw, Poland
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5
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Roy U. Computational Investigation of Selected Spike Protein Mutations in SARS-CoV-2: Delta, Omicron, and Some Circulating Subvariants. Pathogens 2023; 13:10. [PMID: 38276156 PMCID: PMC10820870 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13010010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Among the multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants recently reported, the Delta variant has generated the most perilous and widespread effects. Another variant, Omicron, has been identified specifically for its high transmissibility. Omicron contains numerous spike (S) protein mutations and numbers much larger than those of its predecessor variants. In this report, the author has discussed some essential structural aspects and time-based structure changes of a selected set of spike protein mutations within the Delta and Omicron variants. The expected impact of multiple point mutations within the spike protein's receptor-binding domain (RBD) and S1 of these variants are examined. Additionally, the RBDs of the more recently emerged subvariants BA.4, BA.5, and BA.2.12.1 are discussed. Within the latter group, BA.5 represents the most prevalent form of SARS-CoV-2 globally until recently. This computational work also briefly explores the temporal mutation profile for the currently circulating variants of interest (VOIs), variants under monitoring (VUMs), and variants being monitored (VBMs) including XBB.1.5, BQ.1, BA.2.75, CH.1.1, XBB, XBF, EG.5 (or Eris), and BA.2.86 (or Pirola). It is expected that these structural data can facilitate the tasks of identifying drug targets and neutralizing antibodies for the evolving variants/subvariants of SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urmi Roy
- Department of Chemistry & Biomolecular Science, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY 13699, USA
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6
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Lipskij A, Arbeitman C, Rojas P, Ojeda-May P, Garcia ME. Dramatic Differences between the Structural Susceptibility of the S1 Pre- and S2 Postfusion States of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein to External Electric Fields Revealed by Molecular Dynamics Simulations. Viruses 2023; 15:2405. [PMID: 38140646 PMCID: PMC10748067 DOI: 10.3390/v15122405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
In its prefusion state, the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (similarly to other class I viral fusion proteins) is metastable, which is considered to be an important feature for optimizing or regulating its functions. After the binding process of its S1 subunit (S1) with ACE2, the spike protein (S) undergoes a dramatic conformational change where S1 splits from the S2 subunit, which then penetrates the membrane of the host cell, promoting the fusion of the viral and cell membranes. This results in the infection of the host cell. In a previous work, we showed-using large-scale molecular dynamics simulations-that the application of external electric fields (EFs) induces drastic changes and damage in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the wild-type spike protein, as well of the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma variants, leaving a structure which cannot be recognized anymore by ACE2. In this work, we first extend the study to the Delta and Omicron variants and confirm the high sensitivity and extreme vulnerability of the RBD of the prefusion state of S to moderate EF (as weak as 104 V/m), but, more importantly, we also show that, in contrast, the S2 subunit of the postfusion state of the spike protein does not suffer structural damage even if electric field intensities four orders of magnitude higher are applied. These results provide a solid scientific basis to confirm the connection between the prefusion-state metastability of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and its susceptibility to be damaged by EF. After the virus docks to the ACE2 receptor, the stable and robust postfusion conformation develops, which exhibits a similar resistance to EF (damage threshold higher than 108 V/m) like most globular proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Lipskij
- Theoretical Physics and Center of Interdisciplinary Nanostructure Science and Technology, FB10, Universität Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40, 34132 Kassel, Germany; (A.L.); (C.A.); (P.R.)
| | - Claudia Arbeitman
- Theoretical Physics and Center of Interdisciplinary Nanostructure Science and Technology, FB10, Universität Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40, 34132 Kassel, Germany; (A.L.); (C.A.); (P.R.)
- CONICET Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Godoy Cruz 2290, Buenos Aires C1425FQB, Argentina
- GIBIO-Universidad Tecnológica Nacional-Facultad Regional Buenos Aires, Medrano 951, Buenos Aires C1179AAQ, Argentina
| | - Pablo Rojas
- Theoretical Physics and Center of Interdisciplinary Nanostructure Science and Technology, FB10, Universität Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40, 34132 Kassel, Germany; (A.L.); (C.A.); (P.R.)
| | - Pedro Ojeda-May
- High Performance Computing Center North (HPC2N), Umeå University, S-90187 Umeå, Sweden;
| | - Martin E. Garcia
- Theoretical Physics and Center of Interdisciplinary Nanostructure Science and Technology, FB10, Universität Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40, 34132 Kassel, Germany; (A.L.); (C.A.); (P.R.)
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7
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Wang WB, Ma YB, Lei ZH, Zhang XF, Li J, Li SS, Dong ZY, Liang Y, Li QM, Su JG. Identification of key mutations responsible for the enhancement of receptor-binding affinity and immune escape of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. J Mol Graph Model 2023; 124:108540. [PMID: 37352723 PMCID: PMC10254043 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2023.108540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
The Omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has raised concerns worldwide due to its enhanced transmissibility and immune escapability. The first dominant Omicron BA.1 subvariant harbors more than 30 mutations in the spike protein from the prototype virus, of which 15 mutations are located at the receptor binding domain (RBD). These mutations in the RBD region attracted significant attention, which potentially enhance the binding of the receptor human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) and decrease the potency of neutralizing antibodies/nanobodies. This study applied the molecular dynamics simulations combined with the molecular mechanics-generalized Born surface area (MMGBSA) method, to investigate the molecular mechanism behind the impact of the mutations acquired by Omicron on the binding affinity between RBD and hACE2. Our results indicate that five key mutations, i.e., N440K, T478K, E484A, Q493R, and G496S, contributed significantly to the enhancement of the binding affinity by increasing the electrostatic interactions of the RBD-hACE2 complex. Moreover, fourteen neutralizing antibodies/nanobodies complexed with RBD were used to explore the effects of the mutations in Omicron RBD on their binding affinities. The calculation results indicate that the key mutations E484A and Y505H reduce the binding affinities to RBD for most of the studied neutralizing antibodies/nanobodies, mainly attributed to the elimination of the original favorable gas-phase electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions between them, respectively. Our results provide valuable information for developing effective vaccines and antibody/nanobody drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Bu Wang
- High Performance Computing Center, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China; National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Bo Ma
- High Performance Computing Center, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China; National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China
| | - Ze Hua Lei
- National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China; The Sixth Laboratory, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China
| | - Xue Feng Zhang
- National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China; The Sixth Laboratory, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China
| | - Jiao Li
- High Performance Computing Center, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China; National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China
| | - Shan Shan Li
- High Performance Computing Center, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China; National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China
| | - Ze Yuan Dong
- High Performance Computing Center, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China; National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Liang
- National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China; The Sixth Laboratory, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China
| | - Qi Ming Li
- National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China; The Sixth Laboratory, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China.
| | - Ji Guo Su
- High Performance Computing Center, National Vaccine and Serum Institute (NVSI), Beijing, China; National Engineering Center for New Vaccine Research, Beijing, China.
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8
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Sinha A, Roy S. Intrinsically Disordered Regions Function as a Cervical Collar to Remotely Regulate the Nodding Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 Prefusion Spike Heads. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:8393-8405. [PMID: 37738458 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c05338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 prefusion spike heads (receptor binding domains, RBDs) frequently nod down and up to interact with host cell receptors. As the spike protein is a trimeric unit of significant size, to understand its large-scale structural dynamics associated with the nodding mechanism and the mutational impact on the same, we develop a topological symmetry-information-loaded coarse-grained structure-based model of a spike trimer using recent cryo-EM structural data. Our study reveals the control of two distant intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs), namely, 630 and FPPR loops, over the nodding dynamics of spike heads. We find that the order-disorder transition of IDRs becomes more evident in the variants of concern (VOCs) that are associated with the characteristic mutation, D614G, in the proximity of these IDRs. In some VOCs, the two other mutations A570D and S982A also show an integral effect. The driver mutation D614G instigates a salt-bridge disruption, altering the order-disorder dynamics of both 630 and FPPR loops and their interaction with the C-terminal domains (CTD1/CTD2). This altered connectivity in these mutants allows the two IDRs to act collectively as a "cervical collar" for the RBD, supporting various spike head postures, consistent with cryo-EM results available for specific cases. The IDRs' control over the spike structure and dynamics presents an exciting opportunity where they can be targeted as remote operational switches to artificially maneuver the nod for effective therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anushree Sinha
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur 741246, West Bengal, India
| | - Susmita Roy
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur 741246, West Bengal, India
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9
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Nguyen H, Nguyen HL, Lan PD, Thai NQ, Sikora M, Li MS. Interaction of SARS-CoV-2 with host cells and antibodies: experiment and simulation. Chem Soc Rev 2023; 52:6497-6553. [PMID: 37650302 DOI: 10.1039/d1cs01170g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the devastating global COVID-19 pandemic announced by WHO in March 2020. Through unprecedented scientific effort, several vaccines, drugs and antibodies have been developed, saving millions of lives, but the fight against COVID-19 continues as immune escape variants of concern such as Delta and Omicron emerge. To develop more effective treatments and to elucidate the side effects caused by vaccines and therapeutic agents, a deeper understanding of the molecular interactions of SARS-CoV-2 with them and human cells is required. With special interest in computational approaches, we will focus on the structure of SARS-CoV-2 and the interaction of its spike protein with human angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) as a prime entry point of the virus into host cells. In addition, other possible viral receptors will be considered. The fusion of viral and human membranes and the interaction of the spike protein with antibodies and nanobodies will be discussed, as well as the effect of SARS-CoV-2 on protein synthesis in host cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hung Nguyen
- Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, al. Lotnikow 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Hoang Linh Nguyen
- Institute of Fundamental and Applied Sciences, Duy Tan University, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
- Faculty of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Duy Tan University, Da Nang 550000, Vietnam
| | - Pham Dang Lan
- Life Science Lab, Institute for Computational Science and Technology, Quang Trung Software City, Tan Chanh Hiep Ward, District 12, 729110 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Faculty of Physics and Engineering Physics, VNUHCM-University of Science, 227, Nguyen Van Cu Street, District 5, 749000 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Nguyen Quoc Thai
- Dong Thap University, 783 Pham Huu Lau Street, Ward 6, Cao Lanh City, Dong Thap, Vietnam
| | - Mateusz Sikora
- Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
- Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Mai Suan Li
- Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, al. Lotnikow 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw, Poland.
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10
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Nagaraja M, Sireesha K, Srikar A, Sudheer Kumar K, Mohan A, Vengamma B, Tirumala C, Verma A, Kalawat U. Mutation Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Variants Isolated from Symptomatic Cases from Andhra Pradesh, India. Viruses 2023; 15:1656. [PMID: 37631999 PMCID: PMC10458099 DOI: 10.3390/v15081656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
There has been a continuous evolution in the SARS-CoV-2 genome; therefore, it is necessary to monitor the shifts in the SARS-CoV-2 variants. This study aimed to detect various SARS-CoV-2 variants circulating in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. The study attempted to sequence the complete S-gene of SARS-CoV-2 of 104 clinical samples using Sanger's method to analyze and compare the mutations with the global prevalence. The method standardized in this study was able to amplify the complete length of the S-gene (3822 bp). The resulting nucleotide and amino acid mutations were analyzed and compared with the local and global SARS-CoV-2 databases using Nextclade and GISAID tools. The Delta variant was the most common variant reported in the present study, followed by the Omicron variant. A variant name was not assigned to thirteen samples using the Nextclade tool. There were sixty-nine types of amino acid substitutions reported (excluding private mutations) throughout the spike gene. The T95I mutation was observed predominantly in Delta variants (15/38), followed by Kappa (3/8) and Omicron (1/31). Nearly all Alpha and Omicron lineages had the N501Y substitution; Q493R was observed only in the Omicron lineage; and other mutations (L445, F486, and S494) were not observed in the present study. Most of these mutations found in the Omicron variant are located near the furin cleavage site, which may play a role in the virulence, pathogenicity, and transmission of the virus. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the 104 complete CDS of SARS-CoV-2 belonged to different phylogenetic clades like 20A, 20B, 20I (Alpha), 21A (Delta), 21B (Kappa), 21I (Delta), 21J (Delta), and 21L (Omicron).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mudhigeti Nagaraja
- State-Level VRDL, Department of Clinical Virology, Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences, Tirupati 517 507, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | - Kodavala Sireesha
- Regional Center for ISCP-NCDC, Department of Clinical Virology, Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences, Tirupati 517 507, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | - Anagoni Srikar
- State-Level VRDL, Department of Clinical Virology, Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences, Tirupati 517 507, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | - Katari Sudheer Kumar
- State-Level VRDL, Department of Clinical Virology, Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences, Tirupati 517 507, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | - Alladi Mohan
- Department of Medicine, Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences, Tirupati 517 507, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | - Bhuma Vengamma
- Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences, Tirupati 517 507, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | - Chejarla Tirumala
- Department of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases, Sri Balaji Medical College Hospital and Research Institute, Renigunta, Tirupati 517 507, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | - Anju Verma
- Department of Clinical Virology, Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences, Tirupati 517 507, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | - Usha Kalawat
- Department of Clinical Virology, Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences, Tirupati 517 507, Andhra Pradesh, India
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11
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Hernandez-Lopez JM, Hernandez-Medina C, Medina-Corvalan C, Rodenas M, Francisca A, Perez-Garcia C, Echevarria D, Carratala F, Geijo-Barrientos E, Martinez S. Neuronal progenitors of the dentate gyrus express the SARS-CoV-2 cell receptor during migration in the developing human hippocampus. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:140. [PMID: 37149825 PMCID: PMC10164240 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04787-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic spread around the world is due to the enormous capacity of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus to be transmitted between humans, causing a threat to global public health. It has been shown that the entry of this virus into cells is highly facilitated by the presence of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in the cell membrane. Currently, we have no precise knowledge of how this receptor expresses in the brain of human fetus and, as a consequence, we do not know how susceptible the neural cells in the developing brain are to being infected through the vertical transmission of this virus, from mother to fetus. In this work, we describe the expression of ACE2 in the human brain at 20 weeks of gestation. This stage corresponds to the period of neuronal generation, migration, and differentiation in the cerebral cortex. We describe the specific expression of ACE2 in neuronal precursors and migratory neuroblasts of the dentate gyrus in the hippocampus. This finding implies that SARS-CoV-2 infection during the fetal period may affect neuronal progenitor cells and alter the normal development of the brain region where memory engrams are generated. Thus, although vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection was reported in few cases, the massive infection rate of young people in terms of the new variants leads to the possibility of increasing the ratio of congenital infections and originating cognitive alterations, as well as neuronal circuit anomalies that may represent vulnerability to mental problems throughout life.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Cristina Medina-Corvalan
- Instituto de Neurociencias UMH-CSIC, Avda. Ramon y Cajal sn, 03550, San Juan de Alicante, Spain
- Cátedra de Neurosciencia, UCAM-San Antonio, Murcia, Spain
| | | | - Almagro Francisca
- Instituto de Neurociencias UMH-CSIC, Avda. Ramon y Cajal sn, 03550, San Juan de Alicante, Spain
| | - Claudia Perez-Garcia
- Instituto de Neurociencias UMH-CSIC, Avda. Ramon y Cajal sn, 03550, San Juan de Alicante, Spain
- Cátedra de Neurosciencia, UCAM-San Antonio, Murcia, Spain
| | - Diego Echevarria
- Instituto de Neurociencias UMH-CSIC, Avda. Ramon y Cajal sn, 03550, San Juan de Alicante, Spain
| | | | - Emilio Geijo-Barrientos
- Instituto de Neurociencias UMH-CSIC, Avda. Ramon y Cajal sn, 03550, San Juan de Alicante, Spain
| | - Salvador Martinez
- Instituto de Neurociencias UMH-CSIC, Avda. Ramon y Cajal sn, 03550, San Juan de Alicante, Spain.
- Cátedra de Neurosciencia, UCAM-San Antonio, Murcia, Spain.
- Center of Biomedical Network Research on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain.
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12
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Kim SH, Kearns FL, Rosenfeld MA, Votapka L, Casalino L, Papanikolas M, Amaro RE, Freeman R. SARS-CoV-2 evolved variants optimize binding to cellular glycocalyx. CELL REPORTS. PHYSICAL SCIENCE 2023; 4:101346. [PMID: 37077408 PMCID: PMC10080732 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrp.2023.101346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Viral variants of concern continue to arise for SARS-CoV-2, potentially impacting both methods for detection and mechanisms of action. Here, we investigate the effect of an evolving spike positive charge in SARS-CoV-2 variants and subsequent interactions with heparan sulfate and the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in the glycocalyx. We show that the positively charged Omicron variant evolved enhanced binding rates to the negatively charged glycocalyx. Moreover, we discover that while the Omicron spike-ACE2 affinity is comparable to that of the Delta variant, the Omicron spike interactions with heparan sulfate are significantly enhanced, giving rise to a ternary complex of spike-heparan sulfate-ACE2 with a large proportion of double-bound and triple-bound ACE2. Our findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2 variants evolve to be more dependent on heparan sulfate in viral attachment and infection. This discovery enables us to engineer a second-generation lateral-flow test strip that harnesses both heparin and ACE2 to reliably detect all variants of concern, including Omicron.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang Hoon Kim
- Department of Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, 1112 Murray Hall, CB#3050, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-2100, USA
| | - Fiona L Kearns
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 4238 Urey Hall, MC-0340, La Jolla, CA 92093-0340, USA
| | - Mia A Rosenfeld
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 4238 Urey Hall, MC-0340, La Jolla, CA 92093-0340, USA
| | - Lane Votapka
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 4238 Urey Hall, MC-0340, La Jolla, CA 92093-0340, USA
| | - Lorenzo Casalino
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 4238 Urey Hall, MC-0340, La Jolla, CA 92093-0340, USA
| | - Micah Papanikolas
- Department of Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, 1112 Murray Hall, CB#3050, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-2100, USA
| | - Rommie E Amaro
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 4238 Urey Hall, MC-0340, La Jolla, CA 92093-0340, USA
| | - Ronit Freeman
- Department of Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, 1112 Murray Hall, CB#3050, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-2100, USA
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13
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Singh JK, Anand S, Srivastava SK. Is BF.7 more infectious than other Omicron subtypes: Insights from structural and simulation studies of BF.7 spike RBD variant. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 238:124154. [PMID: 36965551 PMCID: PMC10036297 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.124154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023]
Abstract
Fear of a fresh infection wave and a global health issue in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have been rekindled by the appearance of two new novel variants BF.7 and BA.4/5 of Omicron lineages. Predictions of increased antibody evasion capabilities and transmissibility have been recognised in addition to the existing lineages (BA.1.1, BA.2, BA.2.12.1 and BA.3) as cause for worry. In comparison to Omicron, BA.4 and BF.7 share nine mutations in the spike protein, Leu371Phe, Thr376Ala, Asp405Asn, Arg408Ser, Ser446Gly, Leu452Arg, Phe486Val, Arg493Gln, Ser496Gly, whereas BF.7 contains an additional mutation, Arg346Thr, in the receptor binding domain (RBD) region. Due to the critical need for analysis and data on the BA.4 and BF.7 variants, we have computationally analyzed the interaction pattern between the Omicron, BA.4 and BF.7 RBD and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) to determine the influence of these unique mutations on the structures, functions, and binding affinity of RBD towards ACE2. These analyses also allow to compare molecular models to previously reported data to evaluate the robustness of our methods for quick prediction of emerging future variants. The docking results reveal that BA.4 and BF.7 have particularly strong interactions with ACE2 when compared to Omicron, as shown by several parameters such as salt bridge, hydrogen bond, and non-bonded interactions. In addition, the estimations of binding free energy corroborated the findings further. BA.4 and BF.7 were found to bind to ACE2 with similar affinities (-72.14 and - 71.54 kcal/mol, respectively) and slightly stronger than Omicron (-70.04 kcal/mol). The differences in the binding pattern between the Omicron, BA.4 and BF.7 variant complexes indicated that the BA.4 and BF.7 RBD substitutions Asp405Asn, Ser446Gly, Leu452Arg, Phe486Val and Arg493Gln caused additional interactions with ACE2. In addition, normal mode analyses also indicate more stable conformations of BA.4 and BF.7 RBDs against human ACE2. Based on these structural and simulation analyses, we hypothesized that these changes may affect the binding affinity of BA.4 and BF.7 with ACE2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaikee Kumar Singh
- Structural Biology & Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Biosciences, Manipal University Jaipur, Dehmi Kalan, Off Jaipur-Ajmer Expressway, Jaipur, Rajasthan 303007, India
| | - Shashi Anand
- Structural Biology & Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Biosciences, Manipal University Jaipur, Dehmi Kalan, Off Jaipur-Ajmer Expressway, Jaipur, Rajasthan 303007, India
| | - Sandeep Kumar Srivastava
- Structural Biology & Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Biosciences, Manipal University Jaipur, Dehmi Kalan, Off Jaipur-Ajmer Expressway, Jaipur, Rajasthan 303007, India.
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14
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Barh D, Tiwari S, Rodrigues Gomes LG, Ramalho Pinto CH, Andrade BS, Ahmad S, Aljabali AAA, Alzahrani KJ, Banjer HJ, Hassan SS, Redwan EM, Raza K, Góes-Neto A, Sabino-Silva R, Lundstrom K, Uversky VN, Azevedo V, Tambuwala MM. SARS-CoV-2 Variants Show a Gradual Declining Pathogenicity and Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine Stimulation, an Increasing Antigenic and Anti-Inflammatory Cytokine Induction, and Rising Structural Protein Instability: A Minimal Number Genome-Based Approach. Inflammation 2023; 46:297-312. [PMID: 36215001 PMCID: PMC9549046 DOI: 10.1007/s10753-022-01734-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Hyper-transmissibility with decreased disease severity is a typical characteristic of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. To understand this phenomenon, we used various bioinformatics approaches to analyze randomly selected genome sequences (one each) of the Gamma, Delta, and Omicron variants submitted to NCBI from December 15 to 31, 2021. We report that the pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 variants decreases in the order of Wuhan > Gamma > Delta > Omicron; however, the antigenic property follows the order of Omicron > Gamma > Wuhan > Delta. The Omicron spike RBD shows lower pathogenicity but higher antigenicity than other variants. The reported decreased disease severity by the Omicron variant may be due to its decreased pro-inflammatory and IL-6 stimulation and increased IFN-γ and IL-4 induction efficacy. The mutations in the N protein are probably associated with this decreased IL-6 induction and human DDX21-mediated increased IL-4 production for Omicron. Due to the mutations, the stability of S, M, N, and E proteins decreases in the order of Omicron > Gamma > Delta > Wuhan. Although a stronger spike RBD-hACE2 binding of Omicron increases its transmissibility, the lowest stability of its spike protein makes spike RBD-hACE2 interaction weak for systemic infection and for causing severe disease. Finally, the highest instability of the Omicron E protein may also be associated with decreased viral maturation and low viral load, leading to less severe disease and faster recovery. Our findings will contribute to the understanding of the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 variants and the management of emerging variants. This minimal genome-based method may be used for other similar viruses avoiding robust analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debmalya Barh
- Centre for Genomics and Applied Gene Technology, Institute of Integrative Omics and Applied Biotechnology (IIOAB), Nonakuri, West Bengal, 721172, Purba Medinipur, India. .,Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Genetics (LGCM) and PG Program in Bioinformatics, Department of Genetics, Ecology and Evolution, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, CEP, 31270-901, Brazil.
| | - Sandeep Tiwari
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Genetics (LGCM) and PG Program in Bioinformatics, Department of Genetics, Ecology and Evolution, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, CEP 31270-901 Brazil
| | - Lucas Gabriel Rodrigues Gomes
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Genetics (LGCM) and PG Program in Bioinformatics, Department of Genetics, Ecology and Evolution, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, CEP 31270-901 Brazil
| | - Cecília Horta Ramalho Pinto
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901 Brazil
| | - Bruno Silva Andrade
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Computational Chemistry, Department of Biological Sciences, State University of Southwest Bahia (UESB), Jequié, 45206-190 Brazil
| | - Shaban Ahmad
- Department of Computer Science, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, 110025 India
| | - Alaa A. A. Aljabali
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Yarmouk University, P O BOX 566, Irbid, 21163 Jordan
| | - Khalid J. Alzahrani
- Department of Clinical Laboratories Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif, 21944 Saudi Arabia
| | - Hamsa Jameel Banjer
- Department of Clinical Laboratories Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif, 21944 Saudi Arabia
| | - Sk. Sarif Hassan
- Department of Mathematics, Pingla Thana Mahavidyalaya, Maligram, 721140 India
| | - Elrashdy M. Redwan
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, King Abdulazizi University, Jeddah, 21589 Saudi Arabia
| | - Khalid Raza
- Department of Computer Science, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, 110025 India
| | - Aristóteles Góes-Neto
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Genetics (LGCM) and PG Program in Bioinformatics, Department of Genetics, Ecology and Evolution, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, CEP 31270-901 Brazil
| | - Robinson Sabino-Silva
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, Uberlandia, CEP 38400-902 Brazil
| | | | - Vladimir N. Uversky
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612 USA
| | - Vasco Azevedo
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Genetics (LGCM) and PG Program in Bioinformatics, Department of Genetics, Ecology and Evolution, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, CEP 31270-901 Brazil
| | - Murtaza M. Tambuwala
- Lincoln Medical School, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool Campus, Lincoln, LN6 7TS UK
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15
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Chan KC, Song Y, Xu Z, Shang C, Zhou R. SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant: Interplay between Individual Mutations and Their Allosteric Synergy. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12121742. [PMID: 36551170 PMCID: PMC9775976 DOI: 10.3390/biom12121742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Since its first appearance in April 2021, B.1.617.2, also termed variant Delta, catalyzed one major worldwide wave dominating the second year of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Despite its quick disappearance worldwide, the strong virulence caused by a few point mutations remains an unsolved problem largely. Along with the other two sublineages, the Delta variant harbors an accumulation of Spike protein mutations, including the previously identified L452R, E484Q, and the newly emerged T478K on its receptor binding domain (RBD). We used molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, in combination with free energy perturbation (FEP) calculations, to examine the effects of two combinative mutation sets, L452R + E484Q and L452R + T478K. Our dynamic trajectories reveal an enhancement in binding affinity between mutated RBD and the common receptor protein angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) through a net increase in the buried molecular surface area of the binary complex. This enhanced binding, mediated through Gln493, sets the same stage for all three sublineages due to the presence of L452R mutation. The other mutation component, E484Q or T478K, was found to impact the RBD-ACE2 binding and help the variant to evade several monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in a distinct manner. Especially for L452R + T478K, synergies between mutations are mediated through a complex residual and water interaction network and further enhance its binding to ACE2. Taking together, this study demonstrates that new variants of SARS-CoV-2 accomplish both "attack" (infection) and "defense" (antibody neutralization escape) with the same "polished sword" (mutated Spike RBD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin C. Chan
- Institute of Quantitative Biology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Study, Zhejiang University, 799 Dangui Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yi Song
- Institute of Quantitative Biology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zheng Xu
- BirenTech Research, Shanghai 201112, China
| | - Chun Shang
- Institute of Quantitative Biology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Ruhong Zhou
- Institute of Quantitative Biology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Study, Zhejiang University, 799 Dangui Road, Shanghai 201203, China
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
- The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Correspondence:
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16
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Extensive neutralization against SARS-CoV-2 variants elicited by Omicron-specific subunit vaccine as a heterologous booster. iScience 2022; 25:105465. [PMID: 36338432 PMCID: PMC9621588 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
To overcome the increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection or post-vaccination infection caused by the Omicron variant, Omicron-specific vaccines were considered a potential strategy. We reported the increased magnitude and breadth of antibody response against VOCs elicited by post-vaccination Delta and Omicron infection, compared to WT infection without vaccination. Then, in mouse models, three doses of Omicron-RBD immunization elicited comparable neutralizing antibody (NAb) titers with three doses of WT-RBD immunization, but the neutralizing activity was not cross-active. By contrast, a heterologous Omicron-RBD booster following two doses of WT-RBD immunization increased the NAb titers against Omicron by 9-folds than the homologous WT-RBD booster. Moreover, it retains neutralization against both WT and current VOCs. Results suggest that Omicron-specific subunit booster shows its advantages in the immune protection from both WT and current VOCs and that SARS-CoV-2 vaccines including two or more virus lineages might improve the NAb response. Post-vaccination SARS-CoV-2 infection can elicit higher and boarder immune response A heterologous booster with the Omicron-RBD protein elicits a 9-fold increased NAb Heterologous boosting with Omicron enhance the potency and breadth of immune response
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17
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Pitsillou E, Liang JJ, Beh RC, Hung A, Karagiannis TC. Molecular dynamics simulations highlight the altered binding landscape at the spike-ACE2 interface between the Delta and Omicron variants compared to the SARS-CoV-2 original strain. Comput Biol Med 2022; 149:106035. [PMID: 36055162 PMCID: PMC9420038 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2022.106035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) B.1.1.529 variant (Omicron), represents a significant deviation in genetic makeup and function compared to previous variants. Following the BA.1 sublineage, the BA.2 and BA.3 Omicron subvariants became dominant, and currently the BA.4 and BA.5, which are quite distinct variants, have emerged. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we investigated the binding characteristics of the Delta and Omicron (BA.1) variants in comparison to wild-type (WT) at the interface of the spike protein receptor binding domain (RBD) and human angiotensin converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) ectodomain. The primary aim was to compare our molecular modelling systems with previously published observations, to determine the robustness of our approach for rapid prediction of emerging future variants. Delta and Omicron were found to bind to ACE2 with similar affinities (−39.4 and −43.3 kcal/mol, respectively) and stronger than WT (−33.5 kcal/mol). In line with previously published observations, the energy contributions of the non-mutated residues at the interface were largely retained between WT and the variants, with F456, F486, and Y489 having the strongest energy contributions to ACE2 binding. Further, residues N440K, Q498R, and N501Y were predicted to be energetically favourable in Omicron. In contrast to Omicron, which had the E484A and K417N mutations, intermolecular bonds were detected for the residue pairs E484:K31 and K417:D30 in WT and Delta, in accordance with previously published findings. Overall, our simplified molecular modelling approach represents a step towards predictive model systems for rapidly analysing arising variants of concern.
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18
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Hou X, Gao J, Wang Y. Epistatic Variations in the Omicron Receptor Binding Domain Can Enhance Host Recognition: An In Silico Assessment and Prediction. J Phys Chem Lett 2022; 13:8808-8815. [PMID: 36106917 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c02209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The hypermutated receptor binding domain (RBD) of the Omicron (B.1.1.529) lineage exhibits a different binding interface with human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) relative to that of the wild-type Wuhan Hu-1, yet how the altered interaction will affect viral evolution is largely unknown. Here, we used molecular dynamics simulation to characterize the binding features of the Omicron BA.1/hACE2 complex and used free energy perturbation calculations to assess the ongoing and putative variations. The complex reveals a substantial rearrangement of the interfacial hydrogen-bond network: R493 of RBD forms a dynamic electrostatic interaction with both E35 and D38 of hACE2, which prohibits the hydrogen bonds of R498-D38 and Y449-D38. Whereas most circulating mutations minimally affect RBD binding to hACE2, the charge-altering mutation R493Q attenuates the affinity by abolishing the electrostatic interaction. However, the potential variants H505Y or N417K/R493Q could restore and gain even greater binding affinities than BA.1 as a result of their optimized interaction network and epistasis effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xudong Hou
- School of Chemical Biology & Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Systems and Physical Biology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518132, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiali Gao
- School of Chemical Biology & Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Systems and Physical Biology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518132, People's Republic of China
- Department of Chemistry and Supercomputing Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Yingjie Wang
- Institute of Systems and Physical Biology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518132, People's Republic of China
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19
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Shola David M, Kanayeva D. Enzyme linked oligonucleotide assay for the sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:1017542. [PMID: 36250054 PMCID: PMC9559407 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1017542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The exponential spread of COVID-19 has prompted the need to develop a simple and sensitive diagnostic tool. Aptamer-based detection assays like ELONA are promising since they are inexpensive and sensitive. Aptamers have advantages over antibodies in wide modification, small size, in vitro selection, and stability under stringent conditions, which aid in scalable and reliable detection. In this work, we used aptamers against SARS-CoV-2 RBD S protein to design a simple and sensitive ELONA detection tool. Screening CoV2-RBD-1C and CoV2-RBD-4C aptamers and optimizing assay conditions led to the development of a direct ELONA that can detect SARS-CoV-2 RBD S glycoprotein in buffer solution and 0.1 % human nasal fluid with a detection limit of 2.16 ng/mL and 1.02 ng/mL, respectively. We detected inactivated Alpha, Wuhan, and Delta variants of SARS-CoV-2 with the detection limit of 3.73, 5.72, and 6.02 TCID50/mL, respectively. Using the two aptamers as capture and reporter elements, we designed a more sensitive sandwich assay to identify the three SARS-CoV-2 variants employed in this research. As predicted, a lower detection limit was obtained. Sandwich assay LOD was 2.31 TCID50/mL for Alpha, 1.15 TCID50/mL for Wuhan, and 2.96 TCID50/mL for Delta. The sensitivity of sandwich ELONA was validated using Alpha and Wuhan variants spiked in 0.1% human nasal fluid sample condition and were detected in 1.41 and 1.79 TCID50/mL LOD, respectively. SEM was used to visualize the presence of viral particles in the Delta variant sample. The effective detection of SARS-CoV-2 in this study confirms the potential of our aptamer-based technique as a screening tool.
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20
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Zhou L, Liu T, Mo M, Shi Y, Wu L, Li Y, Qin Q, Zhu W, Wu C, Gong L, Xu Z. Exploring the Binding Affinity and Mechanism between ACE2 and the Trimers of Delta and Omicron Spike Proteins by Molecular Dynamics Simulation and Bioassay. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:4512-4522. [PMID: 36053674 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c00881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Five major variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have emerged and posed challenges in controlling the pandemic. Among them, the current dominant variant, viz., Omicron, has raised serious concerns about its infectiousness and antibody neutralization. However, few studies pay attention to the effect of the mutations on the dynamic interaction network of Omicron S protein trimers binding to the host angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). In this study, we conducted molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to explore the binding strength and mechanism of wild type (WT), Delta, and Omicron S protein trimers to ACE2. The results showed that the binding capacities of both the two variants' S protein trimers to ACE2 are enhanced in varying degrees, indicating possibly higher cell infectiousness. Energy decomposition and protein-protein interaction network analysis suggested that both the mutational and conserved sites make effects on the increase in the overall affinity through a variety of interactions. The experimentally determined KD values by biolayer interferometry (BLI) and the predicted binding free energies of the RBDs of Delta and Omicron to mAb HLX70 revealed that the two variants may have the high risk of immune evasion from the mAb. These results are not only helpful in understanding the binding strength and mechanism of S protein trimer-ACE2 but also beneficial for drug, especially for antibody development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.,School of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Tingting Liu
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.,School of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Mengxia Mo
- College of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Yulong Shi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.,School of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Leyun Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.,School of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yishui Li
- Institute for Quantum Information and State Key Laboratory of High Performance Computing, College of Computer Science and Technology, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, China
| | - Qiuping Qin
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.,School of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Weiliang Zhu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.,School of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.,Open Studio for Druggability Research of Marine Natural Products, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), 1 Wenhai Road, Aoshanwei, Jimo, Qingdao 266237, People's Republic of China
| | - Chengkun Wu
- Institute for Quantum Information and State Key Laboratory of High Performance Computing, College of Computer Science and Technology, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, China
| | - Likun Gong
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.,School of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.,Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan, Guangdong 528400, China
| | - Zhijian Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.,School of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.,State Key Laboratory of Dao-di Herbs, Beijing 100700, P. R. China
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21
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Pipitò L, Rujan R, Reynolds CA, Deganutti G. Molecular dynamics studies reveal structural and functional features of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Bioessays 2022; 44:e2200060. [PMID: 35843871 PMCID: PMC9350306 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202200060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 virus is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic the world experience since 2019. The protein responsible for the first steps of cell invasion, the spike protein, has probably received the most attention in light of its central role during infection. Computational approaches are among the tools employed by the scientific community in the enormous effort to study this new affliction. One of these methods, namely molecular dynamics (MD), has been used to characterize the function of the spike protein at the atomic level and unveil its structural features from a dynamic perspective. In this review, we focus on these main findings, including spike protein flexibility, rare S protein conformational changes, cryptic epitopes, the role of glycans, drug repurposing, and the effect of spike protein variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludovico Pipitò
- Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences (CSELS)Faculty of Health and Life SciencesCoventry UniversityCoventryUK
| | - Roxana‐Maria Rujan
- Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences (CSELS)Faculty of Health and Life SciencesCoventry UniversityCoventryUK
| | - Christopher A. Reynolds
- Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences (CSELS)Faculty of Health and Life SciencesCoventry UniversityCoventryUK
| | - Giuseppe Deganutti
- Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences (CSELS)Faculty of Health and Life SciencesCoventry UniversityCoventryUK
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22
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Wozney AJ, Smith MA, Abdrabbo M, Birch CM, Cicigoi KA, Dolan CC, Gerzema AEL, Hansen A, Henseler EJ, LaBerge B, Leavens CM, Le CN, Lindquist AC, Ludwig RK, O'Reilly MG, Reynolds JH, Sherman BA, Sillman HW, Smith MA, Snortheim MJ, Svaren LM, Vanderpas EC, Voon A, Wackett MJ, Weiss MM, Hati S, Bhattacharyya S. Evolution of Stronger SARS-CoV-2 Variants as Revealed Through the Lens of Molecular Dynamics Simulations. Protein J 2022; 41:444-456. [PMID: 35913554 PMCID: PMC9340756 DOI: 10.1007/s10930-022-10065-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Using molecular dynamics simulations, the protein–protein interactions of the receptor-binding domain of the wild-type and seven variants of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 spike protein and the peptidase domain of human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 were investigated. These variants are alpha, beta, gamma, delta, eta, kappa, and omicron. Using 100 ns simulation data, the residue interaction networks at the protein–protein interface were identified. Also, the impact of mutations on essential protein dynamics, backbone flexibility, and interaction energy of the simulated protein–protein complexes were studied. The protein–protein interface for the wild-type, delta, and omicron variants contained several stronger interactions, while the alpha, beta, gamma, eta, and kappa variants exhibited an opposite scenario as evident from the analysis of the inter-residue interaction distances and pair-wise interaction energies. The study reveals that two distinct residue networks at the central and right contact regions forge stronger binding affinity between the protein partners. The study provides a molecular-level insight into how enhanced transmissibility and infectivity by delta and omicron variants are most likely tied to a handful of interacting residues at the binding interface, which could potentially be utilized for future antibody constructs and structure-based antiviral drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alec J Wozney
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 101 Roosevelt Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, 54701, USA
| | - Macey A Smith
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 101 Roosevelt Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, 54701, USA
| | - Mobeen Abdrabbo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 101 Roosevelt Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, 54701, USA
| | - Cole M Birch
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 101 Roosevelt Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, 54701, USA
| | - Kelsey A Cicigoi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 101 Roosevelt Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, 54701, USA
| | - Connor C Dolan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 101 Roosevelt Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, 54701, USA
| | - Audrey E L Gerzema
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 101 Roosevelt Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, 54701, USA
| | - Abby Hansen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 101 Roosevelt Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, 54701, USA
| | - Ethan J Henseler
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 101 Roosevelt Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, 54701, USA
| | - Ben LaBerge
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 101 Roosevelt Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, 54701, USA
| | - Caterra M Leavens
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 101 Roosevelt Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, 54701, USA
| | - Christine N Le
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 101 Roosevelt Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, 54701, USA
| | - Allison C Lindquist
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 101 Roosevelt Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, 54701, USA
| | - Rikaela K Ludwig
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 101 Roosevelt Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, 54701, USA
| | - Maggie G O'Reilly
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 101 Roosevelt Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, 54701, USA
| | - Jacob H Reynolds
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 101 Roosevelt Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, 54701, USA
| | - Brandon A Sherman
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 101 Roosevelt Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, 54701, USA
| | - Hunter W Sillman
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 101 Roosevelt Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, 54701, USA
| | - Michael A Smith
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 101 Roosevelt Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, 54701, USA
| | - Marissa J Snortheim
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 101 Roosevelt Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, 54701, USA
| | - Levi M Svaren
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 101 Roosevelt Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, 54701, USA
| | - Emily C Vanderpas
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 101 Roosevelt Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, 54701, USA
| | - Aidan Voon
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 101 Roosevelt Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, 54701, USA
| | - Miles J Wackett
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 101 Roosevelt Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, 54701, USA
| | - Moriah M Weiss
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 101 Roosevelt Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, 54701, USA
| | - Sanchita Hati
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 101 Roosevelt Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, 54701, USA.
| | - Sudeep Bhattacharyya
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 101 Roosevelt Avenue, Eau Claire, WI, 54701, USA.
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23
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da Costa CHS, de Freitas CAB, Alves CN, Lameira J. Assessment of mutations on RBD in the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 Alpha, Delta and Omicron variants. Sci Rep 2022; 12:8540. [PMID: 35595778 PMCID: PMC9121086 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12479-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus 2 (CoV-2) variant Omicron spread more rapid than the other variants of SARS-CoV-2 virus. Mutations on the Spike (S) protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) are critical for the antibody resistance and infectivity of the SARS-CoV-2 variants. In this study, we have used accelerated molecular dynamics (aMD) simulations and free energy calculations to present a systematic analysis of the affinity and conformational dynamics along with the interactions that drive the binding between Spike protein RBD and human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. We evaluate the impacts of the key mutation that occur in the RBDs Omicron and other variants in the binding with the human ACE2 receptor. The results show that S protein Omicron has stronger binding to the ACE2 than other variants. The evaluation of the decomposition energy per residue shows the mutations N440K, T478K, Q493R and Q498R observed in Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 provided a stabilization effect for the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 RBD and ACE2. Overall, the results demonstrate that faster spreading of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron may be correlated with binding affinity of S protein RBD to ACE2 and mutations of uncharged residues to positively charged residues such as Lys and Arg in key positions in the RBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clauber Henrique Souza da Costa
- Laboratório de Planejamento e Desenvolvimento de Fármacos, Universidade Federal do Pará, Rua Augusto Correa S/N, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Camila Auad Beltrão de Freitas
- Laboratório de Planejamento e Desenvolvimento de Fármacos, Universidade Federal do Pará, Rua Augusto Correa S/N, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Cláudio Nahum Alves
- Laboratório de Planejamento e Desenvolvimento de Fármacos, Universidade Federal do Pará, Rua Augusto Correa S/N, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Jerônimo Lameira
- Laboratório de Planejamento e Desenvolvimento de Fármacos, Universidade Federal do Pará, Rua Augusto Correa S/N, Belém, PA, Brazil.
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24
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Ridgway H, Chasapis CT, Kelaidonis K, Ligielli I, Moore GJ, Gadanec LK, Zulli A, Apostolopoulos V, Mavromoustakos T, Matsoukas JM. Understanding the Driving Forces That Trigger Mutations in SARS-CoV-2: Mutational Energetics and the Role of Arginine Blockers in COVID-19 Therapy. Viruses 2022; 14:v14051029. [PMID: 35632769 PMCID: PMC9143829 DOI: 10.3390/v14051029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is a global challenge due to its ability to mutate into variants that spread more rapidly than the wild-type virus. Because the molecular biology of this virus has been studied in such great detail, it represents an archetypal paradigm for research into new antiviral drug therapies. The rapid evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in the human population is driven, in part, by mutations in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike (S-) protein, some of which enable tighter binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE2). More stable RBD-ACE2 association is coupled with accelerated hydrolysis of furin and 3CLpro cleavage sites that augment infection. Non-RBD and non-interfacial mutations assist the S-protein in adopting thermodynamically favorable conformations for stronger binding. The driving forces of key mutations for Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Kappa, Lambda and Omicron variants, which stabilize the RBD-ACE2 complex, are investigated by free-energy computational approaches, as well as equilibrium and steered molecular dynamic simulations. Considered also are the structural hydropathy traits of the residues in the interface between SARS-CoV-2 RBD and ACE2 protein. Salt bridges and π-π interactions are critical forces that create stronger complexes between the RBD and ACE2. The trend of mutations is the replacement of non-polar hydrophobic interactions with polar hydrophilic interactions, which enhance binding of RBD with ACE2. However, this is not always the case, as conformational landscapes also contribute to a stronger binding. Arginine, the most polar and hydrophilic among the natural amino acids, is the most aggressive mutant amino acid for stronger binding. Arginine blockers, such as traditional sartans that bear anionic tetrazoles and carboxylates, may be ideal candidate drugs for retarding viral infection by weakening S-protein RBD binding to ACE2 and discouraging hydrolysis of cleavage sites. Based on our computational results it is suggested that a new generation of “supersartans”, called “bisartans”, bearing two anionic biphenyl-tetrazole pharmacophores, are superior to carboxylates in terms of their interactions with viral targets, suggesting their potential as drugs in the treatment of COVID-19. In Brief: This in silico study reviews our understanding of molecular driving forces that trigger mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It also reports further studies on a new class of “supersartans” referred to herein as “bisartans”, bearing two anionic biphenyltetrazole moieties that show potential in models for blocking critical amino acids of mutants, such as arginine, in the Delta variant. Bisartans may also act at other targets essential for viral infection and replication (i.e., ACE2, furin cleavage site and 3CLpro), rendering them potential new drugs for additional experimentation and translation to human clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry Ridgway
- AquaMem Consultants, Rodeo, New Mexico, NM 88056, USA
- Institute for Sustainable Industries and Liveable Cities, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC 3030, Australia
- Correspondence: (H.R.); (J.M.M.)
| | - Christos T. Chasapis
- NMR Facility, Instrumental Analysis Laboratory, School of Natural Sciences, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece;
- Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences, Foundation for Research and Technology, Hellas (FORTH/ICE-HT), 26504 Patras, Greece
| | | | - Irene Ligielli
- Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, Greece; (I.L.); (T.M.)
| | - Graham J. Moore
- Pepmetics Inc., 772 Murphy Place, Victoria, BC V6Y 3H4, Canada;
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Laura Kate Gadanec
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC 3030, Australia; (L.K.G.); (A.Z.); (V.A.)
| | - Anthony Zulli
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC 3030, Australia; (L.K.G.); (A.Z.); (V.A.)
| | - Vasso Apostolopoulos
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC 3030, Australia; (L.K.G.); (A.Z.); (V.A.)
- Immunology Program, Australian Institute for Musculoskeletal Science (AIMSS), Melbourne, VIC 3021, Australia
| | - Thomas Mavromoustakos
- Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, Greece; (I.L.); (T.M.)
| | - John M. Matsoukas
- NewDrug PC, Patras Science Park, 26504 Patras, Greece;
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC 3030, Australia; (L.K.G.); (A.Z.); (V.A.)
- Correspondence: (H.R.); (J.M.M.)
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25
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Choi KE, Kim JM, Rhee JE, Park AK, Kim EJ, Yoo CK, Kang NS. Molecular Dynamics Studies on the Structural Stability Prediction of SARS-CoV-2 Variants Including Multiple Mutants. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23094956. [PMID: 35563345 PMCID: PMC9106056 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23094956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic worldwide. The spike protein in SARS-CoV-2 fuses with and invades cells in the host respiratory system by binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The spike protein, however, undergoes continuous mutation from a D614G single mutant to an omicron variant, including multiple mutants. In this study, variants, including multiple mutants (double, triple mutants, B.1.620, delta, alpha, delta_E484Q, mu, and omicron) were investigated in patients. The 3D structure of the full-length spike protein was used in conformational analysis depending on the SARS-CoV-2 variants. The structural stability of the variant types was analyzed based on the distance between the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of each chain in the spike protein and the binding free energy between the spike protein and bound ACE2 in the one-, two-, and three-open-complex forms using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Omicron variants, the most prevalent in the recent history of the global pandemic, which consist of 32 mutations, showed higher stability in all open-complex forms compared with that of the wild type and other variants. We suggest that the conformational stability of the spike protein is the one of the important determinants for the differences in viral infectivity among variants, including multiple mutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwang-Eun Choi
- Graduate School of New Drug Discovery and Development, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Korea;
| | - Jeong-Min Kim
- Division of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Bureau of Infectious Disease Diagnosis Control, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, 187 Osongsaengmyeong 2-ro, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si 28159, Korea; (J.-M.K.); (J.E.R.); (A.K.P.); (E.-J.K.)
| | - Jee Eun Rhee
- Division of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Bureau of Infectious Disease Diagnosis Control, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, 187 Osongsaengmyeong 2-ro, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si 28159, Korea; (J.-M.K.); (J.E.R.); (A.K.P.); (E.-J.K.)
| | - Ae Kyung Park
- Division of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Bureau of Infectious Disease Diagnosis Control, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, 187 Osongsaengmyeong 2-ro, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si 28159, Korea; (J.-M.K.); (J.E.R.); (A.K.P.); (E.-J.K.)
| | - Eun-Jin Kim
- Division of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Bureau of Infectious Disease Diagnosis Control, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, 187 Osongsaengmyeong 2-ro, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si 28159, Korea; (J.-M.K.); (J.E.R.); (A.K.P.); (E.-J.K.)
| | - Cheon Kwon Yoo
- Bureau of Infectious Disease Diagnosis Control, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, 187 Osongsaengmyeong 2-ro, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si 28159, Korea;
| | - Nam Sook Kang
- Graduate School of New Drug Discovery and Development, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Korea;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-42-821-8626
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